Auckland hasn’t got enough of it, the West Coast isn’t allowed to use it, farmers want more of it, entrepreneurs are exporting it, and some want to claim ownership of it!

Water is essential for life, it drops from the sky and makes its way on and below ground to the sea to be evaporated and dropped again. No one should own it and we need a designated system to manage it for the good of all New Zealanders.

Our biggest city needs more access. So is that from bigger storage facilities? Harvesting from the Waikato? A desalination plant? Decisions need to be made now for the future.

The West Coast wanted to utilise the abundance they have with a clean energy hydro electric system but were denied permission by Wellington. Is that good use of the available resource or are ideologies castrating good use?

The more farmers use the more crops they can grow, but aquifers are dropping so access is limited. Can we replace the aquifers supply with the massive quantities that just flow out to sea? Using the aquifers not only as storage, but also as distribution?

There is angst that some of our finest water is heading offshore with no financial benefit to New Zealand. Is that true, just, or reasonable? How about a value adding requirement so that we can benefit from a New Zealand resource that is essential.

Because it’s so necessary and so valuable, should anyone be able to claim ownership of it? New Conservative thinks not. If it falls on your land you can use it. But once it leaves it is no longer yours. It needs to be well managed for the good of all New Zealanders, not just a power grabbing few.

We need to develop a system to manage our fresh water that is non-political and looks at supply, usage, storage, future needs and quality.

“Protect our water now and manage it well” says New Conservative leader Leighton Baker. “Our future depends on it!”

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